When you’re working with rigging equipment of any type and size, one of the top priorities for you and your employees should be safety. Working with rigging equipment can be a hazardous endeavour for even the most trained personnel, especially when using this equipment from a height.
It goes without saying that rigging equipment is essential for most construction projects, which makes safety an absolute necessity when working with the equipment. So many things could go wrong, which means you need to know how to both prevent and mitigate any rigging related incidents. In this blog, we’ve put together a list of our top 5 safety tips for using rigging equipment – we hope this helps you along with your project.
Safety precautions to follow when working with rigging equipment
Make sure your riggers are qualified
First and foremost, you should never allow an unqualified individual to operate your rigging equipment. Your employees who work with any kind of rigging needs to be well-trained in rigging and safety procedures – they should also know their equipment inside-out, as we’ll discuss later on in this blog. They should also be competent enough to be able to anticipate any problems before they happen.
Be thorough with your inspections
Before using any rigging equipment, an expert should inspect the gear thoroughly to ensure that it is safe to work with. They should be able to spot even the most minor technical issues to make sure that the equipment is in good working condition for your project.
Keep your loads balanced
A staple safety tip when working with rigging is to make sure that neither the chain or hoist of your equipment comes into contact with the load – the upper suspension of the gear and the load hook should always be in a straight line. You should also know how far your loads can swing and always be aware of your rigging’s load capacity and its centre of gravity to prevent any tipping.
Note down all the technical issues
If your rigging equipment has any technical or mechanical problems, you should always note them down before writing the gear off or taking it in for servicing. This is essential if you plan on reusing the equipment so that your employees can take the right precautions when using the equipment.
Know your rigging equipment
As we mentioned earlier, your employees need to know the equipment they’re using from the inside-out. Every rigger should know how much weight their machines can handle, as well as other details such as boom length and operational load radius. They should also have an idea of the rigging’s maximum angle capabilities as well as how many legs the machinery has.
OSHA Pro-tips:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration notes that riggers must be:
- Properly trained and briefed about the dangers associated with rigging work;
- Familiar with all of the rigging techniques and equipment they’re using;
- Able to anticipate any problems before they happen to prevent injury;
- Able to stop their operations hastily should unsafe conditions occur;